Supporting mechanism for insulators



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SU PBORTING MECHANISM FOR INSULATOR S.

# APPUCATION FILED FEB. 25| Hi8.

Patented Nov. 7, 1922.

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Patented Nov. 7, 1922 UNITED STATES E-DSON 0. SESSIONS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SUPIORTING MECHANISM FOR INSULATOBS.

Application filed February 25, 1918. Serial No. 218,968.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LEnson O. SESSIONS, a citizen of the United States, residin at Chicage, in the county of Cook and bats of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Supporting Mechanism for Insulators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved supporting mechanism for insulators by which the insulator may be supported from a desired base and may in turn supp rt electrical conductors of various kinds without the use of screw clamps for holding the supportin mechanism to the insulator.

By my invention the supporting meccanism employed is rigidl3 secured to the insulator, both for the purpose of supporting it from a desired base and for the purpose of supporting the electrical conductors by constructing the supporting mechanism so that parts thereof are brought securely and firmly into positions positively clamping the insulator by bending portions of the su ports themselves into engagement with t e heads'of the insulator, thus rigidly securing the supporting mechanism to the insulator .without'using screws or bolts or other fastening devices that could become loosened in use, and the result is a simple construction which is effective and permanent.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, showing preferred embodiments thereof, in which-- Fig. 1 shows in elevation an insulator'provided with my supporting mechanism and arranged to support a T rail conductor from a base,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 1 taken alo the line 2-2,

Fig. 3 is a plan view 0 the parts shown in 1,

Fig. 4 shows in a view similar to Fi 1 similar supporting mechanisms provi ed with a modi ed base,

' Fig. 5 shows in plan view the parts shown in Fig. 4,

Figs. 6 and 7 show in views similar to Fig. 1 modified forms of conductor supports for holdingfiat bus bars in planes parallel and at right angles to'the base respectively,

Fig. 8 shows in a view similar toFig. 1 similar supporting mechanism for supporting a cylindrical conductor, the base of the supporting mechanism being of the form shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 9 shows in a "ie'w similar to Fig. 1 a modified construction of base for support, mg the insulator and supporting mechanism 'from a pair of pipes or rods, and

I 10 is a. view similar to Fig. 9, showmg the base provided with devices for sup porting the insulator and supporting mec anism from a single pipe or rod.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the insulator 11 is provided with an enlarged head 11, having an inclined beveled surface on its inner edge and a substantial plane surface at its outer edge, across one diameter of which a semi-circular groove 11" is formed. The supporting mechanism for engaging the head 11 to support the insulator from a supporting plate 12 consists of a base plate 13 having a plurality of arms or fingers 14 projecting axially therefrom. Opposite ones of these arms when put in place on the insulator are substantially parallel throughout their length and when the insulator is in place with the head 11 between said arms the ends of said-arms 11 are bent until they rest firmly against the inclined inner surface ofthe head 11. The base 13 is made preferably of cast metal of a nature permitt-in such, or example, as malleable iron or cast brass, and when the ends of the arms are bent to the position described, the base is rigidh secured to the insulator without the use 0 cement or clamping screws or bolts, and forms with the insulator a permanent and rigid construction. To secure greater strength and stability than would otherwise be thecase, the. ortions of the arms 14 adjacent to the cylindrical portion of the head 11 may be reinforced with webs, as indicated or otherwise, servmgfthe double purpose of strengthening the arms and re uiring the bends in the arms to occur a ong the line of intersection between the cylindrical surface of the head 11 and its inclined inner surface. The base 1?; is provided with -a. projecting rib 13", which enters and fits the arms 14 to be bent as described,

eter for entering a hole of similar diameter in the supporting member 12, and the base is provided with a radially projecting arm 16 through which a retaining bolt 17 extends for a purpose to 'be described.

The conductorsupporting portion of the supporting mechanism of the insulator is shown at 18, and is provided with arms 19, which are formed in a manner similar to the arms 14 and bent inwardly in a similar manner to engage the inner inclined surface .of the conductor supporting head 11 of the insulator. The conductor support 18 is provided with a diametrically extending rib 2O engaging a corresponding groove across the head 11 of the insulator to prevent rotation of the support 18 on the insulator. The support 18 has projecting therefrom two opositely disposed hook-shaped members 21 for engaging the opposite edges of the flange of a T rail 22 when a line throu h said members is inclined at substantial y forty-tive degrees to said rail. Said mem bers are so formedthat when they are in a line at right angles to said rail, the distance between the innermost )ortions of the hooks permits the flange of the rail to be readily inserted between them or removed from them. since the distance between the innermost points of said members is slightly greater than the width of said flange.

In using the construction described, it will be understood that a number of insulators are employed to support the same rail, as a result of which the rail is incapable of turning on the axis of any one of said in-.

sulators, and in locating the rail in place all that is required is to turn all of the insulators on their cylindrical extensions 15 to positions bringing thehook-shaped members 21 into lines at right angles with the rail, the bolts 17 being removed to permit said rotation. The rail is then put in place and each insulator and its supporting mechanism are rotated by means of the arm 16 until the hook-shaped members 21 securely engage the opposite edges of the Han e of the rail, at which time. the hole in sai arm 16 is in line with a similar hole 23 in the supporting base 12. The bolt 17 is then put in place securely clamping the insulator and its supporting mechanism against rotation, thus preventing disengagement of the rail from the conductor supporting portion 18. This construction is found to be entirely satisfactory where there is no tendency for the conductor to be moved vertically away from the supporting member 12. which is the case where, as in the present instance, the conductor is intended for use as a third or trolley rail for supplying current to an electrical motor movably mounted for motion longitudinally of the rail.

In the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the siipporting mechanism is similarly constructed and secured to the insulator and similarly supports a T rail, the only difference being that the base portion of the supporting mechanism is provided with an extending plate 24, which has extending through it a plurality of holes 25 for receiving retaining bolts. the cylindrical cen tral stud or portion 15 beingomitted. Any number of holes 25 maybe employed and with this construction the insulator and its supporting mechanism are rotated as above described to permit the insertion or removal of the T rail, and when the rail is securely engaged by the hook-shaped members, the insulator and its supporting mechanism are securely held and prevented from rotating by means of suitable bolts extending throu h the holes 25 and the supporting base of tie structure. lVith this construction the insulator and its supporting mechanism are positively held from being moved in any direction by means of the-bolts referred to.

In the construction shown in Fig. 6, the conductor supporting portion 26 is extended to receive the bolts 27, which serve to hold a clamping plate 28 against a bus bar construction 2t) and thus hold said bus bars in planes perpendicular to the axis of the insulator against the outer plane surface of the conductor supporting portion 26.

In the construction shown in Fig. 7, the conductor supporting portion 30 is provided with a plate 31 projecting therefrom in a plane parallel with the axis of the insulator, and this plate is provided with openings for receiving the bolts 32 for clamping a second and similarly constructed plate. not shown, against the bus bar structure 33 thus holding the bus bars in planes parallel with the axis 105 of the insulator securely against the plate 31,

In the construction shown in Fig. 8, the conductor supporting portion 34 of the insulator supporting mechanism is provided with a. semi-circular clamp 35, there being 110 a removable semi-circular portion 36 of said clamp held in clamping relation to the portion 35 of bolts 37, by which means-a cylindrical conductor in the form of a rod or tube may be carried by the insulator supporting 115 mechanism. The base construction of the supporting mechanism is substantially the same as shown and described in connection with Figs. 4 and 5.

In the construction shown in Fig. 9, the 120 base portion of the supporting mechanism is extended in the form of a plate 38 through which U bolts 39 and 40 extend for engaging parallel rods or pipes to support the insu lator and supporting mechanism.

In the construction shown in Fig. 10, the base portion of the supporting mechanism is provided with opposite extensions 41 for supporting U bolts 42 diametrically of the base so that the insulator and its supporting 130 1 names the same for each of the constructions shown and described and the different devices de scribed for supporting the conductors and supporting the entire structure from a base illustrate the wide range of adaptability of my invention. My invention is particularly applicable for use in locations where there is jar or vibration, since by its use all danger of the insulator supporting mechanism ecoming loosened on the insulator is avoided, and there being no cement employed, it is impossible for the clamping relation between the supporting mechanism and the insulator to be loosened by the disintegration of the cement which frequently occurs in connection with insulators which are secured to their supports by cement, either as a result of mechanism vibration or electrical bombardment.

While I have shown my invention in'the particular embodiments described, I do not, however, limit myself to the exact constructions shown, as I may employ any equiva lents thereof known to the art at the time of the filing of this application without departin from the scope of the appended claims.

'hat I claim is:

1. In a supporting mechanism for insulators, the combination of an insulator having a head at one end of larger diameter than the adjacent portion of the insulator, and a metal supporting device engaging said head, said device having axially projecting arms bentinwardly into close engagement with the inner surface of said head, said head having a cylindrical portion, and each of said arms being reinforced to a point opposite the inner edge of the cylindrical surface of Said head. 2. In a supporting mechanism for insulators, the combination of an insulator, supports carried by the ends of the insulator, retaining devices carried by one of said supports for clamping a conductor by rotating said insulator and supports, a base, a pivot stud projecting from the other support into said base an arm extending radially from said other support adjacent the base, and devices for securing said am to the base.

3. In a supporting mechanism for insulators, the combination of an insulator, supports carried by the ends of the insulator, retaining devices carried by one of said supports for clamping a conductor by rotating said insulator and supports, a base, a pivot stud projecting from the other support into said base, an arm extending radially from said other support adjacent the base, devices for securing said arm to the base, said insulater havin an enlarged head at each end, and each 0 said supports havin integral arms extending around said hea securely holding said supports to said insulator.

4. In a sup orting mechanism for insulators, the com ination of an insulator, supports carried by the ends of the insulator,

retaining devices carried by one of said sup ports for clampin a conductor by rotating said insulator an supports, a base, a pivot stud projecting from the other support into said base, an arm extending radially from said other support adjacent the base, devices for securing said arm to the base, said insulater having an enlarged head at each end, and each of said supports having integral arms extending around said head securely holding said supports to said insulator, one of said heads and the corresponding support having cooperating surfaces preventing angular displacement of said support relatively to said head.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 9th day of February, A. D. 1918.

EDSON O. SESSIONS. 

